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Kurama
Yoko Kurama (妖狐蔵馬, lit. Yōko Kurama; in the English dub, Kurama the Yoko), also known as Kurama (蔵馬, Kurama) and Suichi Minamino (南野・秀一, Minamino Shūichi), is a main character in the anime series YuYu Hakusho. Voiced by Megumi Ogata (Shūichi) and Shigeru Nakahara (Yoko) in the original Japanese and John Burgmeier in the English dub. Appearance In his human form, Kurama has bright green eyes, as well as long and vibrant-red hair, with two segments on either shoulder and the rest on his back. He often wears a reddish-purple jacket and pants. While in this form, he is occasionally mistaken for being a woman. While in his Youko Kurama form, he has golden eyes, prominent silver fox ears, as well as a silver tail and long, silver hair. He wears a toga and martial arts shoes. Personality Kurama is regarded as the calmest member of Team Urameshi. However, his personality changes while in battle. Hiei notes that Kurama is more cutthroat and merciless than he. In contrast, he cares deeply for his friends and family, and will sacrifice his life to protect them. In combat, Kurama prefers to analyze the opponent's fighting style before attacking. However, this usually ends with him being the most seriously injured. In the end, though, Kurama always has a trick up his sleeve to clinch the match. Being that Kurama and Youko are separate entities, they refer to each other as such. Youko is dependent on Kurama, because if either of them dies, so will the other. Kurama later learns to just tap into Youko's power, rather than completely revert his personality. History Kurama once lived as a powerful fox demon with the name of Youko. He was mortally wounded in a fight with Spirit World Defense Force and retreated to the Human World. There, he planted his soul into Shiori Minamino's unborn child. He only planned on staying human for ten years to regain his strength, but grew to love his mother, and stayed so he wouldn't hurt her. Synopsis Spirit Detective Saga After he, Gouki, and Hiei steal the three artifacts from spirit world, Kurama tells them he must leave their alliance. Hiei is initially furious, and chases after Kurama when he leaves at the sudden appearance of Yusuke. He later shows up when Yusuke defeats Gouki, asking Yusuke for a meeting. Despite Botan's warning, Yusuke agrees to go. Kurama takes Yusuke to a hospital, where they meet his mother. Yusuke is confused why a demon could have a human mother, and why he would care so much for her. Kurama explains his past, and his mother's sickness. He feels that he somehow caused it, by putting her through emotion pain. Suddenly, a nurse asks Kurama to come back inside, where his mother's doctor tells him she only has a few hours to live. Kurama activates the artifact, the Forlorn Hope, which would grant him one wish. However, this would come at the cost of his life. Yusuke urges him to stop, then asks the mirror to take his life instead. Luckily, the mirror grants the wish without sacrifice because of Yusuke's compassion. Kurama wakes up and quickly leaves to go see if his mother is alright, which she is. Hiei battles Yusuke next, and in his Jagan form, nearly kills the Spirit Detective. However, Kurama steps in the path of Hiei's sword, then uses his blood to blind his original third eye, crippling his powers. He then uses his power to stop Keiko from becoming a demon. After a surprsing spirit gun that bounces off the Furlong Hope, Botan inquires how Yusuke knew to do that. He replies it was spur of the moment thinking, leading Kurama to laugh. When the Saint Beasts infect Human World with Makai insects, Kurama, Hiei, Kuwabara, and Yusuke go to the Demon City to stop them. Kurama faces the beast, Genbu, and unleashes his rose whip technique for the first time. He defeats the beast, only for him to reconstitute his broken body. Kuram feels his energy's center and destroys it, then using the rose whiplash to disperse him. While Yusuke is sent to rescue the ice apparition, Yukina, Kurama is working in spirit world for Koenma. They both worry for Hiei, because Yukina is his sister, and he would surely have killed her kidnapper, getting him arrested. Kurama leaves to find Hiei, and witnesses, for the first time, Hiei sparing his opponent. He then comments that he didnt need to come. Dark Tournament Saga In the preliminaries, Kurama fought the member of Team Rokuyukai, Roto, who threatened to hurt his mother if he did not forfeit. However, Kurama turned the tables by killing him before he could get the chance. Later, against Team Masho, Kurama fought Gama, a demon obsessed with make-up. He manages to win, but Gama's curses laid on Kurama's body keeps him from moving, as well as sealing in his energy. This makes the next match against Toya difficult. The first curse wears off and Kurama is able to move, but Toya has the upper hand because Kurama's energy is still sealed. Last minute, Kurama plants the death seed in his body, which sprouts a plant that nearly kills Toya. The ordeal leaves him unconscious, but still standing, so he is faced against Bakken. He is nearly killed by the demon, but their leader, Risho, stops him from attacking so that Yusuke wouldn't kill him. In a short fight against Ura Urashima, Ura unleashes a box that is supposed to regress his opponent's age to that of a baby. However, the affect differs for Kurama and he is instead turned back into his Yoko form. After Suzuka's defeat, he gives Kurama a potion that would transform him into the form. During the finals, Kurama faces Karasu, whose ability manipulates the intangible world. Kurama had taken the potion a few minutes before the match, so he became Youko and nearly killed Karasu using a plant that could track movement. However, Karasu survives and Kurama returns to normal. Only by making Karasu bleed and then unleashing a blood-thirsty plant is he able to kill Karasu. Chapter Black Saga Demon World Tournament Techniques/Moves *'Rose Whip' (ローズ・ウイップ/薔薇棘鞭刃, Rōzu Uippu/Bara Shibenjin, translated as Rose Thorn Whip-Blade): Kurama's signature technique, where he uses his demon energy to grow a rose from its seed state to its flowering state and then into a long thorny whip that's capable of cutting even through steel. :*'Rose Whiplash' (華厳裂斬枝, Kagon Retsuzanshi, translated as Flower of Severely-Torn Limbs): Kurama swiftly slashes the whip in multiple directions. *'Rose Whip Thorn Wheel' (風華円舞陣, Fūka Enbu Jin, translated as Wind Petal Waltz Formation): A whirlwind of rose petals hovers around Kurama. If an opponent/attacker gets within a certain range, the petals attack and rip them to shreds. Also called Petals and Thorns when Kurama clashed with Karasu in the finals of the Dark Tournament. *'Seed of the Death Plant' (死招き草, Shimaneki Sō, translated as Deathbringer Weed): This is a small seed that Kurama plants in his opponent's body and can be manipulated using his demon energy. After it has had enough time to secure its roots within the victim's body, the seed kills the victim. Only used on Roto during the Dark Tournament. *'Death Tree' (食妖植物, Shoku Yō Shokubutsu, translated as Devourer Demon Plant): This is a carnivorous tree with an acidic saliva that strikes anything that moves. Only used to intimidate Uraurashima during the Dark Tournament. *'Ojigi Plant' (魔界のオジギ草, Makai no Ojigi Sō, translated as Demon Realm Bow Weed): A plant indigenous to South America. When grown with demon energy, it mutates into a creature that responds to movements or heat by closing its leaves around its prey and crushing it to death. Arguably, it can be called the Demon World version of the Mimosa plant. Only used to try and kill Karasu during the Final Round of the Dark Tournament. *'Blood-Sucking Plant' (吸血植物, Kyūketsu Shokubutsu, translated as Blood-Drinking Weed): A special Demon World plant that can attach itself to its victim and drain them of their blood before blossoming into a beautiful, rose-like, flower once it has drained enough blood from its victim. Only used to kill Karasu during the Final Round of the Dark Tournament. *'Lamp Weed' (明る雑草, Akaru Zassō, translated as Bright Weed): Plants that act as markers for Kurama to find his way back. Used during the Chapter Black saga, as the Spirit Detectives make their way down to where the tunnel to Demon World is being opened. *'Sinning Tree' (邪念樹, Janen Jū, translated as Tree of Depravity): The tree responds to the memories of the victims and forces them to replay their fears until they die. Only used once, to trap Elder Toguro for eternity, near where the tunnel to Demon World is being opened. *'Leaf of a Plant' (浮葉科の魔界植物, Fuyōka no Makai Shokubutsu, translated as Floating Leaves from Demon Realm Plant): This plant appears as "wings", similar to that of a butterfly, on Kurama's back that double as a glider. First used to break the descent of Kuwabara's, Hiei's, and his, falls while attempting to avenge Yusuke's death in Demon World. Is used later on to keep him in the air as Yusuke and Sensui clash in Demon World. *'The Binding Fist of the Demonic Vine' (樹霊妖斬拳, Juryō Yōzan Ken, translated as Wood Spirit Demon Beheading Technique): Similar to the Rose Whip in that it is composed of a vine with thorns, but this time it grows around Kurama's arm and is wielded as a sword-like weapon. Used only as an attempt to attack Sensui when they were fighting in Demon World. *'Okunenju Roots' (億年・樹・うえき, Okunen Ju Ueki, translated as Nostalgia Tree Root): It involves growing a large tree that overran the entire fighting arena. It resembles a cherry tree, reflective of Kurama's memories of climbing the cherry tree in his front yard as a child. Only used against Shigure during the Demon World Tournament. Manga-Exclusive Techniques *'Pseudo-Creature': Seen only in the manga set after the Demon World Tournament, this parasite merges with its host on the cellular level, instinctively repairing any damage done to the host body. Unless the host's brain is destroyed, the host will stay in a 'half-life' for a very-long time. Its appearance is similar to that of the Sinning Tree, which begs the question of whether or not the two plants are somehow related. :*Hiei gave the slave trader Chikou, Mukuro's childhood abuser, one of these creatures (which Kurama had supplied him with). He then delivered Chikou's incapacitated body to Mukuro, for her to mutilate as she saw fit; a demonic version of therapy, so to speak. *'Parrot Grass': Kurama uses this shrub in order to deceive a group of religious terrorists who had taken the Gates of Judgment hostage and use radio check-ins to make sure nothing was going wrong. Category:Characters